Half to robert s



(N6 Model.)

L. M. CUNNINGHAM.

NUT LOCK Patented Nov. 1'?, 1896.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OEEicE.

LOGAN M. CUNNINGHAM, OF ERIE, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- HALE TO ROBERT S. CONSTABLE, OF SAME PLACE.

NUT-LOCK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 571,721, dated November 1'7, 1896.

Application tiled March 11, 1896. Serial No. 582,808. (No model.)

HAMl residing' @,Eriefinwhe county of Erie c man-il Stateof Pennsylvania, have invented a new and Improved Nut-Lock, of which the following is a speciiication.

This invention is an improved nut-lock, the object of the invention being to provide a locking device which will securely hold a number of nuts at one time, and the device is particularly adapted for use upon railroadrails.

Another object is to provide a nut-locking device which embodies the principle of a pawl and ratchet, the pawl being arranged upon the washer and the nut constructed with a ratchet lower face.

Another object is to provide a washer-plate of dierent thicknesses, the thick portion bein g arranged beneath the nut to receive the strain, and the thin portion being out away to provide the locking tongues or pawls.

Another object is to provide awasher-plate of different thicknesses, the thick portion being arranged beneath the nuts, the outer face of the thin portion being flush with the outer face of the thick portion.

XVith these objects in view and suoli others as may appear as the details of the invention are better understood my invention consists in the peculiar construction of the various parts and also in their novel combination or arrangement, all of which will be fully described, and then pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings formin ga part of this speciiication, Figure l is a View showing my invention in use. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section on the line 2 2 of Fig. 3. Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2. Eig. 4 is a detail view of washer-plate. Fig. 5 is a detail face view of the ratchet-faced nut.

Inasmuch as my invention is particularly adapted for use upon the splice-joint of railroad-rails, I have shown the meeting ends A A of two rails, which are of the usual construction, and likewise the iish-plate B and bolts C C.

The nut D has a ratchet-face D; but it will be noticed that the ratchet-teeth are arranged near the outer edges only, and at the center said nut has a dat annular portion D2.

The washer-plate E, which is adapted to be placed upon the bolts between the iish-plate and nuts, can be made any length desired in order to accommodate the requisite number ofbolts and nuts, in the present instance four, two on each side of joint. This washerplate, however, is of different thicknesses, that is, the upper inner edge is cut away or reduced, having the upper forward edge e about one-half the thickness of the body portion c2, said body portion being arranged between the nut and ish-plate and receives all the strain or pressure. The upper edge c' is cut away at F and slit horizontally at G, thus providing a series of horizontal springtongues I-I, the free ends of which rest above the vertical axis of the bolt-holes e..

The tongues H are turned slightly outward at their ends to engage the ratchet-faces of the nuts and act as lookin g-pawls,said tongues being crimped or corrugated transversely to their length, as shown at It, the purpose of said construction being to stiten the said tongue, thus making said tongue extremely elastic and effective.

The washer-plate is slotted longitudinally near each bolt-hole, thereby providing springtongues K K, the edges of which are serrated and bite into the bolt, thus locking the washerplate securely to the bolt, saidtongues being forced inward as the nuts are screwed down.

In operation the rails, iish-plates, and bolts are arranged as usual. The washer-plates E are then placed upon the bolts and the nuts screwed home. The nut as it approaches the forward face of washer -plate engages the end of the spring-tongue, which permits the ratchet-faced nut to slip thereon and looks it against reverse revolution, and as the nut is screwed tighter the tongues K bite into the bolt, thus holding the plate E immovable upon the bolts. The body of nut bears or presses entirely upon the thick oblong portions of washer-plate, which is sufficiently thick to withstand all strain. The ratchet-face of nut, however, contacts with the spring-tongue, which is only about one-half the thickness of main portion of plate, but is crimped or corrugated transversely to strengthen or stiften said tongue. Furthermore, when it is desired to press the tongue back to remove the IOO nut the oonoavity of the crimp or eorrugation affords a convenient place to insert a tool.

' In order to permit the rail to expand and eontraet,tl1e boltl1oles in the fisl1-plate are of Course made oval or elliptical in shape, and t0 prevent the tongues being drawn out oli' engagement with the nut I prefer to make the Washer-plate in two sections, as shown in Figs. l and 2, each plate looking two bolts.

mmol

gated spring-,tongues upon the upper edge of plate, and spring-'tongues Within the rmain portion of plate, and the nut having its base constructed with central annular portion and the rate-l1 etefaeed outer. portion f substantially as shown and described.

In a nL1t-lool;,tl1e combination with a bolt, of a Washer-plate, they upperfedge of which is reduced, eut away and slitted providing a spring tongue or tongues, said tongue or tongues being crimped or eorrugated trans-y versely, the spring-tongues in the mainy pon tion of plate, and a nut having' the ratchetteeth and Vfiat central portion upon its base all arranged substantially as shown and tiescribed.

LOGAN M. CUNNINGHAM. XVitnesses:

JOHN Comunita.; M

NioHoLAs Sonnrrz. i f 

